My watermark is the Ardèche River, in Southern France. Swimming in it and in the small creeks that feed into it are among my oldest memories. The water was always very cold, but it was so clear you could always see all the way to the bottom, including all the little fish in it. The powerful Ardèche has created over a million incredible gorges that take your breath away by their beauty, which reminds me how important it is to respect and protect nature and water.

I feel very lucky to have had, as a child, the chance to access that prime playground for swimming and kayaking. That river and valley have greatly shaped who I am and what I love as an adult. I miss that river a lot.